Trust

I had a really enjoyable lesson on Friday with Chris Maher, building on the last one 5 weeks ago (video from that enclosed) which was all about making more use of the ground for all shots.

Serving Checklist v1.

• Trust my throwing action its very strong
• Turn back with RQ arm high (tends to get v close to my body and then inefficient)
• Then complete coiling with knee bend
• Drive upwards with my legs identically to launching a throw
• Trust my throwing action its very strong
• Hit up and beyond the ball - whether topspin or flatter serve
• Trust my throwing action its very strong

What I learnt to day was I spend a lot of time hitting the ball so that it goes in, rather than getting into a great position and trusting myself to really release. This applies both to serve and to ground-shots.

The video is for some serves when Chris challenged me to release and throw upwards, driving from my legs to the sky, trusting that the ball would come down anyway. It was striking how much more RQ head speed I generated and how accurate the result was.

In the grip of tension

Ladder match against Ahmad Z. For the uninitiated Amhmad tortures people on the tennis court. If you hit anything through the back of the court it comes back with far less pace, floating, hanging, taunting, almost inviting you to hit the next one harder in a forlorn attempt to prove one's potency and credentials on the court.

So called 'serious' players have been known to refer to Ahmad as a hacker, implying he's not worth their attention...... wrong! In one match I played when coach at Bush Hill Park, a teenager and his brother came off the court in a blind fury having played against Ahmad and self destructed. It can be a world of pain.

The best way of approaching every match is with the mindset of ' how am I going to play my game as well as possible?' and 'how do I solve the problems this player throws at me?'

With Ahmad I solved the problem because I am strong at the net. However I was less successful in playing the game I'm trying to develop- in particular the ability to generate pace off a slow ball. Related to this I'm only 30% there in improving my use of the ground to develop this power. I want to coil on the forehand and then start uncoiling by using my legs to unload the energy chain through the shot. Easier when there's pace, harder and a great test when the ball has no pace.

I could feel my muscles tensing as part of me wanted to put my new technique into practice, and part of me wanted to play safe and hit the ball in. Result a ball with little weight and a lot of arm. To really unload I have to stay loose. To stay loose I have to do this much more in practice.

This is where planning comes in. In tennis practice must be planned,with like minded players of a similar standard, practicing with intent, rather than just having a hit.

Dip part 2: Overcoming Excuses - quality focus

I've been so busy with work that its been ten days since I've hit a ball. No exercise.

I'm pleased that I've just completed short 2.5mile run in the streets around hotel. I noticed my focus varying as I ran; at some points wanting to fast forward time as if replaying a recorded tv programme, zipping through the adverts.

I resisted that, staying mindful of my sensations as I and how I interpreted them. When my chest got tight and aching I noticed the thought "maybe I should back off"  - but stayed with the sensations and found they were easily manageable. At other times I felt the urge to slouch;  thinking "just get round, it doesn't matter how". I was  intrigued by this thought, but resisted and instead focused on my running technique and staying tall. Immediately my pace picked up and I got more from the run. The benefits of mindfulness and commitment to quality.

When I got back to the hotel room, I entered the winter postal tournament to give myself a focus and goals for the coming months. 

My performance obituary

I ran a provocative session with some athletes and their coaches this weekend. One of the exercises involved a performance obituary. It comes from an excellent book on Mindfulness for performance enhancement by Gardner & Moore.

The instruction is simple:
"What and how would you like your performance career and you as an athlete, teammate, etc to be remembered?"

It works because it reminds us that we only have one shot at our lives, and that it will be too late when we are in our bath chairs and zimmer frames to develop a 100 mph serve.

Every day counts. Every session counts.

Whatever you write as your performance obituary can become a powerful standard by which you assess your achievements each day. Its a very personal exercise. This is mine:

As a tennis player:
Brave and prepared to go for my shots
Stylish
Fit and physically committed
Surprisingly powerful
Great touch and variation
Tactically astute

As an exec coach and performance psych
Thoughtful and perceptive
Engaging
Thought provoking
Helps people to do things they thought they couldn't do.
Helps people to manage themselves and accept themselves.

DeFusing

The single most important thing I've learnt in the past 10 years is to separate myself from my thoughts, and to regard them with both healthy confidence and healthy caution.

Confidence because there are many situations where I back myself and my judgement. Parent, Coach, Brother, Son, Business partner, Husband. Caution because I've come to learn that many thoughts and feelings in the same areas can be so far off the mark. Scared, Proud,.........overconfident etc.

Over the 15+ years as a coach, therapist and performance psychologist, this teaching has not been new. We're trained to notice projections and transference, our 'blue touchpaper' situations and people. What's different is I'm now more able to separate from these thoughts, rather than see my opinions as some truth.

It matters as a tennis player because the same training that now helps me to be more self aware and have real clarity about my thoughts and feelings, also helps me to stay in 'the here and now' when training and competing.

The technique that has helped me profoundly in the last year is Mindfulness. This training involves focusing on my breathing in every moment of the exercise and simply accepting the departures into thought, noticing, and returning to the breathing. Doing this helps to reduce the power of all thoughts and helps me stay committed to how I want to behave and lead my life. As a tennis player this can mean pushing through the pain when I'm telling myself "I'm hurting, I need to back off".

I use the aptly named Jon Kabat Zinn's CDs as a great starting point. He founded the use of meditation in stress reduction clinics in the US, and clearly worked with the US rowing team back in Lake Casitas in the 84 Los Angeles games. Check out a bit of this YouTube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nwwKbM_vJc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Or CDs on Amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Full-Catastrophe-Living-Wisdom-Illness/dp/0739358588/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1315320594&sr=8-11


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Location:Home - lunch break

The Dip

We're now in a pretty busy work phase and combined with holidays this leaves little time to practice. A nice problem business wise has lead to more doubt about what I'm working on in tennis and where the next improvement will come from. I can be so motivated by my improvement, which can turn negative and in on myself when I don't practice enough.

Solution: Get out and practice! Even if it's just once a week like right now. Choose not to listen to the voice that says "If you cant practice three times a week its not worth it".  Today was a speculative trip to the club and initially just a gentle hit. Then some great serving practice on my own...... I'm working on really stretching up and through, and practising this by the old drill of overarm throws, then serving and practicing the feeling of stretching up and through, whilst trying to stay loose. Result more snap, and I think more ability to hit up and get my body through.

I think for the past while I've been protecting my shoulder, but it's time to let it go, and explore this envelope.

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Location:Alexandra Park Rd,Tottenham,United Kingdom

Why play tennis?

Why play tennis? Parts 1 & 2 

A ladder match safely negotiated against Chris Dixon, a bouncy, fast moving player, of my age with an all court game. However, my play was boring and unsatisfying. While I was determined to win and not lose, I strangled my own attempts to be aggressive. An example being a short ball that could be spanked away, I wrestled over the net with far too much top spin, and no penetration in fear that I would ‘make a mistake’. Aaaaaah.

So after the match Chris agreed to my request that we play a couple more games. I resolved to hit through every forehand and backhand I got. My God !! The ball kept going in with an exhilarating amount of power and feel. This why I play tennis...to feel powerful! - Why do you play?

Why Play Tennis 2: Finding my true purpose on the court.

I decided to build on Part 1 in my next practice session, this time with Chazz. I resolved to hit through the ball as my default, instead of attempting aggressive top-spin every ball. From the word go Chazz had less time, and I felt more powerful, hitting through to a much better depth. My technique is good enough to automatically generate enough top most of the time. This was the most dynamic practice session I can remember, the purpose for both of us to hit through without fear. For me:

1.       Lower trajectory

2.       Relax and really let go as I hit through – especially on short balls

Daniel Coyle refers to starting to get something right as the beginning of a practice session. So this is the beginning.  

Rosewall or Ashe

In 1974, 21 year old Jimmy Connors took on the most elegant of players, 8 times grand slam winner Ken Rosewall (then aged 40), and dominated him in the Wimbledon final. Two years later Connors took on Arthur Ashe, then a mere 10 years his senior at 34, and this time the elder man triumphed in a tranquil display of flowing but determined tennis, never once letting Jimmy really get into his stride.

This was my challenge as I played 21 year old David England this evening. Against a very hard hitting 21 year old, could I find my own inner Arthur Ashe? My aim was to deny him rhythm and pace, but to stay positive, hit deep, vary the spin. With the expectation that I would have to work very hard. This worked well until 2-2 in the first set; he was out of sorts, making mistakes, and I felt absolutely in it. Then.......he hit his stride, and hit the ball 15% harder whilst cutting out most of his mistakes. I just couldn't live with his relentless hitting, lost my own depth and rhythm, and didn't win another game. He was just too good.

Reflections and learning?

• Youth will have its day. Especially when disciplined and skilled. 
• More practice against big hitters.
• Aim to regain some of the serving aggression and accuracy I had in the autumn. At the moment its accurate and relaxed, now to rebuild the zip.

The Envelope

Every match I'm exploring my envelope around aggression. What's yours about in your field? For me it's:

• What proportion of flat instead of spun first serves?
• When to attack full on, or shorten the backswing returning serve, and when to chip it back to keep it in play.
• How flat/top spin to hit when trading?
• Tactically how frequently to the net, chipping and charging on second serve? 

Two factors come to mind. 1. Playing to my strengths 2. Handling the opponent's challenge and making demands of them.

Playing to my strengths means a high level of consistency, lots of topspin on serve and ground shots, getting to the net fairly frequently. The challenge comes when an opponent simply has a bigger, safer game that they can execute with little risk to themselves. In the past I've found I sometimes over-react to this challenge and push the envelope too far, too aggressively and make far too many unforced errors. Playing Chazz in the Postal final is a case in point. On the other side I've been too cautious, for example playing Alan in last year's semi.

My club champs 2nd round match yesterday was at the edge of my envelope in terms of physical demands, and containing an aggressive opponent. One spectator said afterwards, "every time I looked at your game he was hitting massive winners, and then you came off the court winning in straight sets". Thankfully his massive winners only counted for one point at a time. And I could get into his backhand, get to the net sometimes, and stay in the rallies with him, forcing and waiting for errors. A big plus for me was putting down some flat 1st serves to win some important points. This is a growing capability....learning that to push this envelope and actually make the serve that is 15 mph faster than normal, I need to hit it pretty easy.

I'm pleased I've had such a tough match (7-6,6-4) in my first round, (105 mins in the heat of the day). I'm going to need to play as well to overcome the succession of young big hitters that the draw has provided me with this year.    

Trust and being in the moment

Great interview with Bob Rotella, who's worked with Darren Clarke. I really like his comment that we need to accept that we will miss putts. Good reminder for all of us that It's OK to make a mistake sometimes, and importantly thus help stay in the moment..........to know where I want to hit it and in Rotella's words 'let my subconscious take over'.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/14182679.stm

The Talent Code - What's the quality of your practice?

I recommend The Talent Code if you're serious about being the best player you can be. I've also just discovered the website http://thetalentcode.com/ which has useful summaries and pointers. Whether you're a coach or a player I'm sure there will be something that you will learn or reconfirm that will improve your game.
It's also fascinating.

For me it reinforced the importance of 'deep practice'.....what sort of practice am I doing? how regular? how purposeful? So many people in tennis "just hit", or only play matches. And they're guaranteed to carry on doing what they always have done. When I'm busy with work and family I need to keep finding the spare chinks of time to do a 60 minute session here, a 30 minute run there, as well as to do the 90 minute to 2 hr sessions.

Coyle's book covers three key areas:

1. The neurological processes of laying down skills - Myelin - Deep Practice
2. What Deep Practice really is, and isn't
3. The role of the coach in 1. Giving really specific skillful feedback, and designing the learning environment 2. Igniting the passion of the performer to learn.

  " Tony Huber says:

March 31, 2010 at 1:39 pm

This book gets rid of many of the myths about innate talent. I have coached many top professional tennis players, include my wife Liezel the current #1 doubles. Everything in the book is true and really makes you reframe your ideas on what it takes to be great."

Antonio - ladder match

A really close match this morning...but came out the wrong side 5-7, 4-6. Antonio is very similar to me, good retriever, solid on both sides, happy at the net, and not too aggressive. I think he's faster around the court than most opponents, and doesn't know when to give up! - Respect! Some long long rallies, which I won 50% of, but pretty energy sapping, and tested my mental resolve against someone 10 years younger. This may have influenced my decision to get to the net when I earned the short ball. Unfortunately on 2 or 3 key points I didn't put the ball away when I had the chance.

What I did well

• Hit through consistently on both sides, combined with depth and topspin, dealing well with his high deep topspin.
• Varied my serve and got some wide angles, earning some cheap points.
• Stayed positive to be in a position to win some critical points from the net.......
• Some good backhands down the line that wrong-footed him as he ran around his backhand

To improve.........

• Get sharper at the net, especially overhead, to put away mid court hanging balls first time. (* Needs dedicated practice and lesson input).
• Stay loose and rotate more as I get more tired, and on big points, and on short balls without pace

The tension of being the favourite.......

Just played a club league singles match against Richard R who is very steady and has the reach of an octopus. I know that when I play loosely and well, he will have a very tough time. But if I get tentative, as at times I did today, then life gets a lot harder.

My main learning from today's game was that when I get tight and nervous, I start trying harder..I hold the racket tighter and I start hitting the ball hard, instead of just letting myself flow. Or I get more careful and push the ball around without any conviction. Its a paradox....when I hit the ball hard I hit out more and actually with less pop and spin. When I let it flow, my body is much more efficient and the ball travels faster with more spin, especially on the serve.

Thankfully I found the right balance at points throughout the match, and most importantly when serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set. No effort, no technical focus, just clarity on where I wanted to aim resulting in 80% first serves in with two unreturned. Game over.

I know that when I play a more aggressive, 'stronger' opponent, I relax more and focus more on what I have to do....anything else will mean I'll let them dominate me. Against less strong opponents I can be tempted into the counterpuncher's trap of waiting for them to make a mistake (Andy Murray). At my level that can mean not using my attacking game, and getting caught in tense indecision. In the end this is about making sure that I play my game, and stay committed to being the player I want to become. Aggressive, with flair and variation as well as tactical nowse. This way, even if I loose some matches, I stay improving, and longer term I win more matches. Today, whilst I got tense, I stayed aggressive, and many of my mistakes were 'good' ones, just long, when hitting through.

Keeping it simple and keeping the effort level at the right setting, are central areas for me. To get more consistent at doing this under pressure, I need to make sure I practice enough, and have practice at increasing levels of intensity. No points but structured practice. Points with a hitting partner but nothing at stake. Practice sets. Proper matches. How do you keep the balance right?

Awesome Kimiko Date-Krumm

40 year old youngster Kimiko Date-Krumm showed that age need not be a barrier in giving Venus one hell of a scare. Match time 2hours 55 minutes. Intense. Impressive.

Doubles Matters More

What is it about doubles matches that they replay in my mind long into the night? Especially last night. The tie break set point where I didn't intercept on James' second serve.......and it was the closest we came to winning a set all night. My service game we dropped at 5-6 down, which included an edgy double (despite serving really well much of the evening). My struggle to return serve well. All of these sped through my mind in the early hours, gradually slowing down to sleep.

There's something about doubles. Its one of the few teams I'm a part of each year. It's succeeding together and falling together. There's a built in audience of players on the court, which at times unhelpfully raises my self consciousness, whereas in singles its just you and me.

Last night rankles more than most.......pouring rain, do we or don't we play? More rain........off we come and lets go home........no its stopped. 3 sets where it was absolutely nip and tuck.......but left with nothing.  

Defeat but no disgrace

Well after a few delays we took to the Brookside dirt. I used to coach Connor, my opponent at Bush Hill Park, so whatever the result it was great to see him again after 4 years, now 15 but looking like 18! 


Connor hits the ball with plenty of zip, a great forehand and a serve with good variety and at times pace. One of his most successful ploys was the high kicking ball wide to my backhand, from serve and in rallies. Federer doesn't like it, and neither do I! He was always looking to get onto his forehand, and anything short he managed to attack. 


First set
4-0 down wasn't looking good....not much better at 1-5, and then 1-6. I was playing well, enjoying it and yet it was one way on the scoreboard. In the rallies I had to be at my best just to get points, and getting 2 or 3 points most games without getting on top.


Second set
Continued much as the first set, quickly going 0-3 down. Well what to change? What's the B game here? I felt I was playing my own game but it wasn't good enough. The main change was getting more aggressive on returning his serve by only 10%, but it worked, meaning I could dictate at times and actually give him more to think about. Secondly I hit a very high percentage of good first serves, which meant I held serve every time from then onwards. Finally some success targeting his backhand, then the odd backhand down the line caught him off guard.


The key was in my focus.....on my serve I was even more in the moment, clear about where I wanted it to go, and then right in the present as I executed. Not thinking "I hope this goes........" or  having technical thoughts. Main development point is developing my poise and composure in staying in the zone to serve better throughout a match. 


So this is one of my best matches for staying in the present and not getting technical. Shame about the result.   

Pre Highgate Ratings

I'm playing my first round of the Highgate Ratings....its an open event which means no over 35's or 45's. So I'm going to have to work even harder than normal! But I'm excited and ready to get stuck in. There's a chance that I'll be playing someone I used to coach at BHP....which will be fun. 


I'm continuing to develop my mindfulness skills... meaning the ability to stay in the present, the ability to switch back to the task in hand, whatever I'm feeling or thinking. This is the most powerful approach to sport psych that I've discovered in many years. In the last few weeks I've found myself staying more focused and more able to be with each shot mentally as I play it.  The biggest learning has been letting go of my old belief that most of my thoughts were somehow important! It's been a revelation that many of them are just thoughts......and most of them are certainly not pearls of wisdom. This then frees me to focus on what I really want to do. Meditation has been at the heart of how I am now much more able to let go. So just as I practice bringing my focus back onto my breathing in meditation, I practice bringing my attention back to the ball and the task in hand as I play.


I'll keep you posted.